People, Skills, Functions

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NASAs Earth Observing System Terra Mission
Update
Jon Ranson, Terra Project ScientistSi-Chee Tsay,
Terra Deputy Project Scientist NASAs Goddard
Space Flight Center
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Terra Status

• All instruments acquiring science data
• MODIS A-side formatter timeouts increasing
  (30M/day). Plans are being made for cross
  strapping the instrument. 
• MOPITT still working on half of its channels.
• Terra performing a series of inclination adjust
  maneuvers to establish 1030am 5 min. equator
  crossing. Went in to safehold following last
  inclination adjust maneuver in March. 6th and
  final maneuver postponed until September to
  accommodate implementation of the Lockheed
  recommendations regarding spacecraft procedures.

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Terra Status

• Pitch over maneuvers to view deep space and lunar
  surface being considered this autumn. Will
  coordinate planning with Aqua Project Scientist.
• SWIR crosstalk problem on ASTER is encouraging
  ASTER to accept lunar look maneuver.
• Recompetition RFP concept discussed last team
  meeting has changed to NRA. Joint call for
  Maintenance and Science. Current NRA prepared by
  Jim Dodge is being reviewed by Code Y business
  office.

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Terra Data

• Nearly all Terra data products are now available
  through DAACs. - CERES, MOPITT and MISR still
  have unreleased products
• Data product status check http//eosdatainfo.gsfc
  .nasa.gov
• Instrument teams should inform community about
  appropriate uses of Beta and Provisional data
  products.
• EOS Science Working Group on Data - advocated for
  increased processing, working on distribution
  issues and involved in long term archive
  discussions.
• Terra ASTER data charging plan being finalized by
  NASA HQ
• EOSDIS recompete being worked.

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Objectives of the EOS Terra Mission

• Provide the first, consistent global snapshots
  of important Earth surface and atmospheric
  characteristics - extend and improve upon past
  satellite records.
• CERES ERBE like Instantaneous and monthly
  averages validated since March 2000.
• MOPITT Global example of CO dynamics no
  validated data sets.
• MODIS SST validated Feb. 2002 for Nov. 2000
  to present
• Atmospheric profiles validated Feb. 2002 for Nov.
  2000 to present
• Aerosol Validated Oct. 2001 for Nov. 2000 to
  present
• Many provisional products

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Objectives of the EOS Terra Mission

• Improve the ability to detect the human impacts
  on climate by identifying indicators, or
  fingerprints, of human activity that can be
  used to distinguish them from natural
  variability.
• MOPITT global CO demonstration of annual
  series.
• MODIS Landuse/Land cover (provisional) , veg.
  cover conversion ( beta)
• Provide measurements of the effects of clouds,
  aerosol and greenhouse gases on the Earths total
  energy balance.
• MOPITT CO distributions as Beta products, no
  Methane yet
• MODIS Atmospheric profiles, aerosol, TPW, are
  validated, provisional products (cloud and
  atmospheric products)
• CERES ERBE like products
• Provide estimates of global terrestrial and
  marine productivity that will enable more
  accurate calculations of global carbon storage,
  exchange with the atmosphere, and year-to-year
  variability.
• MODIS many products in provisional status
  (e.g., NDVI, landcover, LAI, FPAR, ocean
  chlorophyll, ocean primary productivity)

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Objectives of the EOS Terra Mission

• Provide observations that will improve
  predictions of climate and of weather at seasonal
  and interannual time scales.
• MODIS Atmospheric profiles, aerosol, TPW,
  albedo are validated, provisional products
  (albedo, cloud and atmospheric products)
• CERES ERBE like products
• Contribute to developing improved methods of
  disaster prediction, characterization, and risk
  reduction from wild fires, volcanoes, floods, and
  droughts.
• ASTER Various volcano Studies, glacier melting
• MISR Various flood and fire images
• MODIS Rapid Fire Response System
• Flood studies
• Snow cover mapping

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http//earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
Nominated for 2002 Webby Award and Won the
People's Voice Award for Science
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Fires Scorch Oregon Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from July 15, 2002
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Fires in Québec, Canada, Send Smoke to U.S.
This Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from July 8,
2002, shows smoke from wildfires (red dots)
in Québec, Canada, drifting southward over the
United States.